NYRA/Courtney Stafford
Victorious seventeen days ago in her Spa debut over a sloppy (sealed) racing surface, Patsy Symons’ Effie Trinket, a 2-year-old daughter of Freud, turned her dry track debut to excellent account on Monday afternoon, taking Saratoga’s $100,000 Aristae overnight stakes for 2-year-old New York-bred fillies.
As Effie Trinket prepared to face the starter for the second time, trainer Rick Violette, Jr. felt that she would appreciate a dry track and probably take a step forward. Violette also had no concern about running the Freud filly back on relatively short rest: “She came out of [her debut] good, has trained well, so there’s no reason not to run.”
Even with plenty of support at the betting windows (2.25-1), Effie Trinket had to take a back seat in the wagering to favorite Agilion (.90-1), an even more recent Spa debut winner on August 13. Both fillies had won by open lengths.
Effie Trinket came out of post four alertly under Alan Garcia to go the six furlongs of the Aristie, but deferred the lead to My Smartness, a Belmont debut maiden breaker on July 14, who was intent on the top spot.
Debra Roma Photography
As My Smartness led the field though a quarter mile in 23.01 and a half in 46.75, Effie Trinket raced in second one length off the pace. She geared up on the turn, pulled even with My Smartness and battled to the furlong pole, where she grabbed the lead.
Luckily Effie Trinket had something left in the tank for the final furlong. Agilion, last along the backstretch and going into the turn, came on with a head of steam along with Zeke’s Surprise, Agilion going the better of the two. Effie Trinket dug in and held on to preserve the victory by a head over Agilion. Zeke’s Surprise finished third 1 1/4 lengths back and My Smartness and Gold Fire completed the order of finish. The final time for the six furlongs over the fast going was 1:11.86.
Regarding the close finish, winning trainer Rick Violette said, “It was a little tighter than I had hoped for. [Effie Trinket and Agilion] are probably two pretty nice fillies.”
Effie Trinket should race again at Belmont in the fall. Violette added, “She’s supposed to turf too. At some stage, it could even be her next start, we could take a shot at the turf to see if she really sprouts wings. She obviously has some talent. If that can be upgraded a little bit, it might open doors.”
Bred by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, where she was foaled, Effie Trinket first sold as a weanling at the 2011 OBS December mixed sale, going to Antigo Farms for $4,000. Violette picked out the filly for Patsy Symons at the OBS Spring 2-year-old sale, where she sold for $130,000 after working a co-bullet quarter-mile in a session of the under-tack show. Violette said the decision to bid was not difficult. “She’s very easy to like, she’s a beautiful filly.” With two victories in two career starts, Effie Trinket has earned $48,000.
The fourth North American stakes winner this year for her sire Freud (Sequel Stallions New York) and his 29th progeny stakes winner, Effie Trinket is also the fourth winner from four foals to start out of Maya’s Note, a winning Kentucky-bred daughter of Editor’s Note. The filly’s second dam, Miss Bid Flash (Horse Flash) was a multiple stakes winner of $242,185 and is a stakes producer.
